The Amb temple built in the 7th to 9th Century AD is facing neglect from the archaeology department despite being a valuable potential tourist attraction in Khushab district.
The temple is located in the village of Amb Sharif in the Sakesar mountains. The main structure is about 20 metres tall and is built with bricks and mortar on a peak.
The exterior of this temple is decorated with Kashmiri-style designs. However, the structure of the building is different from the Kashmiri temples, which usually have pointed tops.
Towards the west from the temple, there is another small worship place at a distance of 75 metres, which is about eight metres high.
From the top, the tourists get a beautiful view of the entire valley. The site was visited by Alexander Cunningham in the late 19th century and partially preserved by archaeologist Daya Ram Sahni in 1922-24.
According to local historians, the temple had been looted earlier. The last surviving statue was removed from the site in the late 19th century and placed in the Lahore Museum.
The visitors can reach the site from Islamabad via Kallar Kahar. From Lahore, tourists can come to Khushab via motorway and use the Mianwali Road and Quaidabad-Sakesar road or the Khushab-Sakesar road.
Three temples of Kashmiri architectural style were built in the area, of which two exist today.
According to local accounts, Buland Mandir had seven storeys, of which three survive.
The site is popularly known as Sat Ghara. A tourist visiting Amb Sharif complained of neglect of the historic place by the authorities. He also called for improving the road access to Sat Ghara
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2022.
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